Claustrophobia

Claustrophobia is a fear or anxiety of confined spaces, triggered by many situations or stimuli including elevators, especially when crowded, windowless rooms, hotel rooms with closed doors and sealed windows, bedrooms with a lock on the outside, small cars and tight-necked clothing. It is typically classified as an anxiety disorder that often results in panic attacks, with onset attributed to factors including a reduction in the size of the amygdala, classical conditioning or a genetic predisposition to fear small spaces. One study indicates that anywhere from five to ten percent of the world population is affected by severe claustrophobia, though only a small percentage of those affected receive treatment for it.